“Amy Reff, you have been living in Florida for one month! What are you going to do next?” … “I’m NOT going to Disney World!”
Okay, so Joe Montana, among others, said “Disneyland,” but that’s in California, and I don’t live there anymore (check out my articles on that here and here).
I officially arrived in my new home exactly one month ago today on March 25, and it has been hunky dory in spite of the pandemic-related shutdowns and subsequent anxiety.
My mother shipped my husband and I two of the dozens of face masks she has been making for everyone and their dog and cat, I’ve been sweating up my latex gloves each time I go to the supermarket, and toilet paper and hand sanitizer are still as scarce as kale chips in upstate New York.
Speaking of toilet paper, please remember not to flush alternatives or anything else, and that includes paper towels, so-called flushable wipes, dental floss, and hair. Any violators will be answerable to the clogg monster:
Anyway, instead of dwelling on the same things everyone is dwelling on these days, I thought I would write about what it has been like since becoming a resident of the Sunshine State.
So here are my top 10 thoughts about and experiences since living in Florida in the midst of a pandemic for one month …
1. It’s summer already.
Seriously, it has been in the 80s (26–31 Celsius) almost every day since I arrived and even in the low 90s (32–34 in Celsius) a few times.
2. The animals are fascinating.
Sandhill cranes make the place sound like the set of Jurassic Park; I haven’t seen any peacocks, but I am watching for them; I thought I saw a flamingo, but it turned out to be a roseate spoonbill; miniature lizards dart across sidewalks; and, of course, gators and snakes lurk in the waters as the sign in the image above warns.
3. My kitchen is ginormous.
This one may not seem to be a Florida-specific observation, but compared to the kitchen I could just barely afford in California, my Florida one feels like a fricking stadium.
4. The neighbors in my gated community are super friendly.
We haven’t been able to introduce ourselves because virus, but hellos, nods, and smiles are welcome as we step off the paths to make room for each other.
5. Power flickers are a thing here.
After losing power for about 10 seconds twice in two days, I ordered an uninterruptible power supply to avoid losing important work. The first time it functioned like it should, my husband patted himself on the back for advising me to get one (even though he was the one to trip the breaker, not reptiles crawling over the lines, but I won’t mention that).
6. Food and car insurance are expensive.
I guess that makes up for the lack of state income tax. Yeah, there’s no state income tax.
7. Our neighborhood is surprisingly diverse.
The last time I lived in the south, life was conspicuously segregated along race lines. I’m happy to see that’s not the case here.
8. Everybody has a dog.
I say that because I don’t even want to take care of a plant, and these people are voluntarily picking up poop two or three times a day — in the heat, rain, and sometimes both.
9. Suddenly, it’s a small, small world.
I know way more people who live in Florida than I realized before we moved: one cousin, an aunt and uncle (winters only), my sixth-grade English teacher, a high school substitute teacher, a co-worker, a project editor I used to work with, probably a couple other people I don’t know about yet, and probably some people who will eventually move down here after the pandemic is over.
10. My heat tolerance has improved.
My idea of cool weather is when I put on capri pants instead of shorts. My idea of cold weather is when I stay indoors because I refuse to wear jeans ever again.
Bonus: How to social distance in Florida.
And if you want to experience extreme social distancing, go out for a walk at 3:00 PM in Florida. You may be hot, but you won’t see another soul for hours. Well, I wouldn’t recommend you stay out that long. Take sunblock with you.
Check out my follow-up story: Becoming Floridian in the Midst of a Pandemic. Or read more about my preceding adventures: Leaving California in the Midst of a Pandemic and Moving to Florida in the Midst of a Pandemic.
